Omaha daily bee., 1887-10-30

only OF glory and riches needs to weigh
all these considerations calmly before
she ventures upon this most arduous
and uncertain of careers.
So many and great are the obstacles
in the way of success in literature or on
the stage, can but wonder at the per-
sistency of girls and women who, with
out ability or reason, stand before the
locked doors of these professions and
beg their older sisters, who have found
an entrance for themselves, to let
them in.
Women are often so impracticable.
do not think it is the fault of sex, but
the result of custom. They have been
kept out of the active business avenues
SO long that now, when they are permit
ted or compelled to walk therein, they
60 utterly at random.
One young lady wrote to me concern
ing her very sad and pathetic situation,
and begged me to assist her to some
kind of work.
She said if could lend her or borrow
for her $500 it would enable her to take
lessons in bookkeeping, and then she
could earn money to support herself
and aged mother, and in time repay
the loan. tried to make her realize
that it would be quicker and more
certain method of earning livlihOod
to do good housework than to borrow
money to learn business which was
already overfilled and underpaid. But
l do not think | succeeded.
There is a most beautiful profession
for which women are especially adapted
open to our sex to-day. Its ranks are
not yet filed to overflow. 1t requires
small outlay of expense and only year
or two of study and close application be-
fore considerable money reward can be
obtained. Two or three years of close
application to study and practice fits any
earnest, honest and sympathetic woman
more fatigue of mind or body than the
work of the actress produces. 1t is we'll
paid labor and always in demand. 1t is
a holy and beautiful mission. l speak
of the profession of the trained nurse.
My own marvellous restoration to
perfect health and strength from a ter
rible illness, feel, was greatly aided
by the skillful care of one of these min
istering angels.
With insufficient. old-fashioned. or Or
dinary attendance invalidism for life
might have been my lot. Many another
woman can say the same.
can think of no place where youth,
vitality, beauty and refinement are more
useful OF. better appreciated than in a
house of sickness. To be first-class
nurse means plenty of employment, hard
work, but better pay and more worthy
and useful lily than that of a thirdrate
author or actress surely.
Some of the most refined and talented
women of the world have chosen this
profession. 1t is an ennobling and pur-
flying labor.
There is one great mistake which
self-supporting women sometimes make,
and which is not only a bar to their
own progress, but hindrance to the
whole sex. refer to the idea which
many woman in business has, that men
should show her consideration in finan-
cial matters and allow her to be careless
in paying her bills because she was a
woman. Though she has genius of
the most exalted order, and social
power and the influence of good friends,
she will never amount to anything so
long as she entertains this idea. 1t is a
death-blOw to success. 1t brings mis-
fortune and misconstruction, a lack of
confidence and respect, and finally COM
plete failure in it's train.
Ii we enter the business world among
men we must conduct our affairs on a
purely masculine basis, and accept
chivalrous protection and gallantry only
in social encounters.
The woman who is scrupulously exact
about paying her bills and paying inter-
est on the money she borrows lays the
first great solid foundation to success.
For God and the world helps those who
help themselves, and all good and true
influences surround and strengthen the
woman who is honestly, earnestly, and
sensibly determined to earn an inde-
pendent livelihood.
ELLA WHEELER WILCOX.